Note: To use the 25% off at DSW code SHARE25 you’ll have to be logged in to the DSW website or app since it’s another one of those “members only” promos which brands and retailers seem to be so fond of lately. RE Possible Returns: In-store returns are free, but sending them back through the mail/UPS will cost you an $8.50 pre-paid label.
These’ll put many a well dressed penny-pincher in a pickle.
Our shoe expert Adam once reviewed a pair of $200 Anthony Veer smooth leather cap-toe oxfords sourced from DSW. It didn’t go well. Sure they looked good, but costs were clearly cut when it came to the materials and cushioning (or lack thereof).
I the Joe guy (aka King Daddy Chukka aka Big Bag o’ Buttons) is writing an expedited review of these suede chukka boots from the same brand because:
Nice shape. If you squint, they look like Loakes.
Quick bottom line: They look great, they fit true-to-size, they’re comfortable fresh out of the box… but due to the same cheap construction underfoot as the cap-toes, they might not be all that comfortable over time.
It just depends on your tolerance for that sort of thing.
If only they had put this much effort into the construction of the guts of the boots.
Unboxing is shockingly good. Cloth shoe bags! Extra laces and insoles! Everything is wrapped nicely and securely! Even the box is nice and sturdy.
It could also be where your experience peaks. Maybe.
Suede is fine. A very dark brown in most light, but since it’s suede it’ll look different in different conditions.
The suede they used on the uppers isn’t the thickest, plushest stuff. But the (very) dark brown shade will look great with jeans, dark gray and earth tone trousers (chinos, dress pants, or thicker flannels,) and doesn’t smell like a barnyard out of the box. That was a problem the smooth leather cap-toes exhibited. Once again, cheap suede > cheap smooth leather.
The shape is perfect for smart casual to dressed up wear. They’re sleek. They’re not a clunky desert boot. And while they won’t look right when worn with beat up jeans and a tee, they’ll do great with smart chinos and a polo… or even a suit, dress shirt, and no-tie or knit tie.
Goodyear welted to a studded rubber sole.
“Gentleman’s notch” can be seen lower right.
The sole is a rubber studded replica of the famous Danite sole. Perfect for the crappy weather we’re heading into. Hit the suede uppers with some waterproofing spray first, and you may end up with a secret cheap-shoes weapon for those bad weather days where you still have to look smart and put-together.
Fit feels true out of the box. They fit my normally 10.5D feet (slightly wide but still a D) just fine. I have a little bit of a “nibble” going on at my back right achilles tendon, but with a little break in time it’s fair to assume they’ll soften.
The trouble is what’s under the foam Ortholite insoles. It’s the same (cheap) mess Adam discovered in the cap toes…
Peering inside, you’ll notice the branded leather-topped Ortholite insole and full leather lining. On initial review, this looks to be a decent insole/footbed and a lot of similar brands have shifted to an insole/footbed like this for various reasons. These looked like removable insoles (seeing as how they sent an extra pair of footbed toppers in the box), so I started to pull them out. That’s when I discovered the true extent of cost cutting being done by the brand. Underneath the leather topper is a thin layer of open cell Ortholite foam. That layer is glued down to another super thin layer of hard pressed foam and fiberboard for stability. The heel cushioning is literally made from a thick piece of cardstock paper, commonly used in cheap shoes.
Dang it.
Yet they’re Goodyear welted?
…What’s the point?
Uppers look good. Tread (Dainite-like outsole) is perfect.
It’s the stuff in-between/buried within that’s a concern.
And a reminder: they did include extra insoles. So maybe that’s their attempted fix for pretty crummy construction of the shoe’s “guts.” Insoles break down and they start to make your feet (and back) ache? Slide in the next insole. Ta-Da! But that’s not really that sustainable, is it? Shoes and boots with better construction usually have some sort of additional cushioning material under the insoles, specifically something chosen that’ll mold to your feet over time (like cork.) That more-expensive setup gives the wearer a custom feel for their particular foot geometry and strike patterns.
But that’s a lot to ask for at $105.
Hit the suede with some waterproofing spray… and they
could end up being great looking “beater” chukkas to be worn in bad weather. Maybe.
Sure they look pretty great, but if you’ve had bad experiences with inexpensive shoes that look good but don’t hold up to your particular usage patterns, then skip these. Because for some… they seem to be carrying a critical, deal-breaking flaw that could spell trouble down the road.
Yet for others… at $105… they just might be worth the gamble.
That’s all.
Carry on.
The 25% off DSW code SHARE25 ends today, Monday 10/9/23. Exclusions apply of course.
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